The Disciple Christ Deserves: A Catholic Spiritual Director’s Approach

by Rev. Michael J. Stalla, DMin

​The journey to the Father is a joyful one, but there are times that the fragments of life, like bits and pieces of broken glass, seem shattered, seem useless. God takes those seemingly worthless moments, and shapes them into patterns of beauty, that only his eye can see. Like a patient stained-glass artist or sculptor, God reminds us that the ultimate pattern of our life cannot be visible in this life, but the Divine Artisan already sees the finished masterpiece.

Spiritual direction is looking at our life through God’s eyes, seeing that even amid life’s disappointments and difficulties, amid the joys of the journey, that every moment is meaningful. “Though I am sure that God could do a perfect job without our assistance, He takes joy in working with His beloved little ones. Working hand in hand with humanity must warm the Sacred Heart, just as it fills us with a sense of purpose, importance, and happiness. It is an honor to be invited to such a noble task.”

$19.95 Paperback | $9.99 Kindle

Testimonials

“Rev. Michael Stalla writes as a true shepherd of souls. The Disciple Christ Deserves leads us beyond comfort into conversion—where prayer becomes encounter, suffering becomes offering, and discipleship becomes the response Christ deserves from every heart.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Father Michael J. Stalla, DMin was ordained for the Diocese of Cleveland in 2003 and ministered at diocesan parishes. In 2009, Father discerned a call to the missions and was appointed to the Cleveland Diocesan Latin America Mission in El Salvador. For six years he served as pastor of two parishes and 26 mission stations. Father Stalla returned to the diocese in 2015 as pastor of SS. Cosmas and Damian Parish in Twinsburg. Father Stalla served as the Coordinator of Pastoral Formation on the faculty of Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology. In 2025, he was appointed pastor of SS. Robert and William Parish and St. John of the Cross Parish, Euclid. He has given conferences, missions, and retreats internationally. His motto is “Today listen to the voice of the Lord!”

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